DISPATCHES
FROM ATHENS
PROFILE:
Name: Alicia
Job description:
Discipleship, evangelism,
admin, prayer,
universities… and kebabs!
Olives or feta? Feta.
English winter or Greek
summer? English winter.
Greek beach or Parthenon?
Greek beach.
Alicia (much loved former StAG student worker) moved to Athens
18 months ago to work alongside Christian university students
with the para-church organisation IFES. She tells the StAG MAG
a little of what it is like living and working in Athens:
Biggest encouragement from the last year?
Seeing God at work in the lives of individuals, empowering them
to take their first steps in evangelism or to make costly decisions
for the sake of the gospel.
Biggest challenge in your work?
Amongst Greek Christians there is a general lack of engagement
with God's word. The Bible is seen as one of many nice things
that a Christian can use, and not as a crucial lifeline! This can
make it a real struggle to lead Bible studies, as students are often
disinterested. I need to remember that opening the Bible is really
worthwhile and is powerful to change people!
Favourite part of your job?
Equipping Christian students for ministry, especially training them in how to lead Bible studies and working with them
to organise evangelistic events.
How does your ministry in Athens differ from when you were in Cambridge?
Student culture is very different in Greece: most students live at home, and so they tend to be less independent and
slower to take ownership of Christian initiatives. Also, most students (and most people throughout Greek society) have
a small, long-term and quite self-contained circle of friends (‘parea’). This means that very genuine relationships occur,
but it can be a real challenge to encourage Christian students to make friends beyond their close circle. For example, it’s
very rare for Christian students to be friends with others on their course, meaning natural opportunities for evangelism
are much rarer.
Tell us a bit about your church.
I love my church! It was planted from a large central church two-and-a-half years ago, so is still small in size, but it
means I can get to know everyone really well. The two pastors are gifted personal evangelists which is a great
encouragement to the whole congregation, almost half of which are recent converts. Like every church, we also have
our struggles: the ailing Greek economy and uncertain future certainly takes its toll, with several in the church family
struggling with some form of depression as a result.
What one thing could we be praying for you?
Please pray that I would value my unity with Christ more and more, and that it would not be my ‘achievements’ (or lack
of!) that give me value, but the fact that I belong to Jesus now and for all eternity. Also, please pray for a growing appetite
for God's word amongst his people here!
Any parting words?
Thank you for all your prayers and support, I am so encouraged by the letters and emails I receive from my friends at
StAG. Also, if you're ever passing through Greece do let me know — I'm always delighted to receive visitors!
One of the most significant ways you can support Alicia is by praying for her and the student work she's involved with.
If you'd like to receive her prayer letters, contact her via Crosslinks
Church
Away Day
-4-
Saturday 7th May
9.45am-4.30pm
linton village college
With talks from Christopher Ash on
‘Is God really in control?’, children’s
group activities, hog roast, outdoor
games and much more…
To book, visit
stag.org/awayday